Lewis Wallace - page 8

Soon after Apple officially killed the iPod on Tuesday, users flooded Twitter with remembrances of the little music player that changed the world when it barged onto the scene in 2001.

From tech influencers to industry analysts to garden-variety music lovers — you know, the folks whose ears lit up when Apple gave them a device that put 1,000 songs in their pockets — it was a genuine iPod lovefest.

Here are some of the finest tributes to the iPod.

Soundcore’s new Motion Boom Plus boombox is built to blast out the tunes wherever you go this summer. The 80-watt Bluetooth speaker packs an array of new features designed to deliver “punchy bass and detailed high end,” the company said.

“Combining an IP67 rating with its upgraded woofers, newly added tweeters, more power,
and portable carry handle, the Motion Boom Plus is the ideal Bluetooth speaker for the park
or at an outdoor pool or beach party,” said Frank Zhu, general manager of Soundcore’s
speaker division, in a press release Monday. “We’ve also made it two times louder than its predecessor to help keep the party going, all day and all night long.”

Plus, you don’t need to worry about losing it in the pool or the lake. It floats!

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Haters gonna hate, but digital artist Adam Duff explains why Apple’s new Studio Display is the perfect monitor — for some users.

Also on The CultCast:

• iPhone 14 leak reveals sizing, pricing and more.
• Who needs a smart water bottle?
• Apple TV+ has some hits on its hands.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It sounds like Apple is planning nearly a dozen new Macs with a next-gen M2 processor. The question is, just how big of a speed bump will that new chip bring? And then there’s iPhone 14, which sounds like it might come with a very big bump indeed — and not the kind you might be hoping for.

Also on The CultCast:

• The original HomePod never ceases to surprise.
• iPhone 14 could be the ultimate smartphone for narcissists.
• Apple might be prepping an ingenious hybrid device to take over your living room.
• When you’re tired of wearing earbuds, you’ve got options. Very strange options.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like what you hear.) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’ve got a date for WWDC22! Now, the only question is, what tricks will Apple pull out of its virtual hat this year?

Also on The CultCast:

• Is Apple’s M1 Ultra chip ultra-disappointing? The first speed tests look underwhelming.
• The latest on Apple’s quest to develop a folding iPhone.
• Ukrainians use Find My to locate thieving Russian troops.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Special thanks to this week’s CultCast sponsors:

• The new Jamf Fundamentals plan gives small-to-midsize businesses the tools they need to easily manage all their Apple devices. CultCast fans can manage three devices free! Sign up at jamf.com/beyond.
• Squarespace gives you all the tools you need to set up your very own website and start selling anything. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: So, what’ll it be first? Good news or bad news about iPhone 14? We’re talking about Touch ID, a possible Apple hardware subscription service and an even bigger camera bump on the Pro model. Hoo boy!

Also on The CultCast:

• A peek inside Apple’s new Studio Display proves surprising.
• Would a 15-inch MacBook Air by any other name smell as sweet?
• The EU might wreck iMessage.
• We’re giving away five leather crossbody iPhone cases from Noémie.
• What “The Slap” heard ’round the world says about Apple events.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week’s episode is brought to you by CultCloth. Forget about that overpriced Apple Polishing Cloth. This is the cleaning cloth your Apple devices deserve.

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock during Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony shows why Apple should go back to doing live events.

No, not because we need to see deranged audience members assaulting Apple execs onstage. However, the mere possibility that something can go seriously sideways gives live events an undeniable advantage over the type of canned productions Apple began cranking out during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I’m sure this goes against Cupertino’s deeply ingrained cultural bias toward controlling absolutely everything within its power. But if Apple doesn’t get back to putting on live events, its product launches will drift deeper into the uncanny territory of the overproduced infomercial. That’s boring — and it’s bad for both Apple and Apple fans.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The first Mac Studio benchmarks make Apple’s much-ballyhooed M1 Ultra chip sound less amazing than we hoped. Maybe it’s not the unhinged beast we expected! But then, what do benchmarks really mean, anyway?

Also on The CultCast:

• The new Studio Display suffers due to some odd choices on Apple’s part.
• A software update might fix Studio Display’s tragic webcam.
• A 15-inch MacBook Air would tick a lot of the right boxes.
• And finally, a giveaway for the ladies!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week’s sponsor is JAMF, an Apple device-management solution that gives individuals and businesses the tools they need to wrangle iPhones, Macs, iPads and more. Register with JAMF now to manage three devices for free.

Apple added two new green finishes to its iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro lineups Tuesday to generate a colorful midseason jolt of excitement.

“Today we’re introducing two gorgeous new finishes,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook during the streamed “Peek Performance” event. “iPhone 13 looks stunning in this bold new green with its precision-milled back glass and color-matched aluminum edges. And iPhone 13 Pro in a sophisticated new alpine green joins the most Pro lineup we’ve ever created.”

Confession time: I’ve got the Sierra Blue blues.

Like so many others, I absolutely love my iPhone 13 Pro. It’s the perfect size, and the amped-up camera works beautifully. (Love those macro shots!) Six months on, the performance, the reliability, that gorgeous ProMotion screen — it’s all fantastic.

But the one thing that fails to surprise and delight me after half a year is the Sierra Blue color I picked. It’s just … meh.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We can’t stop speculating about what new Apple gear we’ll see at Tuesday’s big “Peek Performance” event. Best bets are iPhone SE, iPad Air and … some kind of Mac?

Also on The CultCast:

• Will this really be a big year for Apple Watch?
• Apple punishes Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
• Social media gets gory during wartime.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

With everyone primed for a rumored Apple event on March 8, fans are eagerly awaiting the invites that will confirm the date. As of Tuesday morning, however, Cupertino left everyone twisting in the wind.

But that didn’t stop Apple fans and tech journos from speculating about the possible spring event. On Twitter, the hashtag #AppleEvent served as a showcase for theories, jokes and concept art concerning the matter.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: As Apple’s rumored spring event approaches, all signs point toward new Macs. Lots and lots of new Macs. And an iPhone and an iPad. But we can’t stop talking about Macs. It’s like a cult or something around here.

Also on The CultCast:

• Is Apple fixing AirTag — or ruining it?
• Most Apple Stores in the United States lift their mask mandates (but they’re handing out freebies).
• Apple needs to put a ring on our fingers.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Thanks to regulatory filings, we know that new MacBooks are coming soon. Now, the only question is … just exactly what Macs should we expect at Apple’s rumored March event? (We know what we want.)

Also on The CultCast:

• Maybe MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar isn’t a goner after all.
• There’s new hope for ancient Macs, from a very unlikely company.
• Sony’s weird new earbuds look oddly intriguing.
• Another great giveaway that you have an excellent chance of winning.
• And a Steve Jobs-era Apple mystery — solved at last!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple code once again refers to a mysterious “realityOS” for a virtual/augmented-reality headset. Vague rumors about the new device, which we’ve been hearing for years now, look set to become very real, very soon.

Also on The CultCast:

• Why no Face ID on Macs?
• Apple’s workaround for accepting third-party payments is a joke, but developers definitely aren’t laughing.
• iPhones are about to become cash registers!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iOS 15.4 packs a punch with some fun and useful new features. It’s still just a beta, but it will give us lots of new emoji for our critical, high-level communications when it goes live. Plus, the beta includes a convenient new way to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask — just in time for the end of the pandemic! 🤞

Also on The CultCast:

• An Apple event in March looks quite likely.
• Mini-LED iMac Pro might be delayed.
• An Apple car patent sheds light on an advanced sunroof.
• How to download Wordle, just in case The New York Times screws up the popular game.
• Donkey talk!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below (down by the headlines and donkey links).

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Will Apple blow our minds (and our wallets) with a devastating blitz of new hardware in 2022? Signs point to yes. This week we’re discussing the latest rumors about new Apple gear coming this year — and trying not to get too excited.

Also on The CultCast:

• Tim Cook’s alleged stalker sounds just plain sad in Apple’s restraining order application.
• And the Apple CEO’s house has disappeared behind a massive, Minecraft-looking wall in Apple Maps.
• You can make make your house go to blurs-ville, too!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

A San Francisco Bay Area court granted Apple a temporary restraining order Friday against a woman who claimed to be Tim Cook’s wife and threatened the Apple CEO. She also allegedly trespassed at Cook’s home in Palo Alto, California.

The 45-year-old woman began tweeting about Cook in late 2020, referring to him as her “bed man,” among other things. She also allegedly emailed him multiple times, sometimes sending photographs of pistols, bullets and MacBooks.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Leaks, rumors and government filings give us an even clearer look at what Apple’s product pipeline looks like for 2022. We’re expecting big changes to the pro Mac lineups this year — including a hybrid Apple “Frankenchip” based on the M1 series.

Also on The CultCast:

• Bye-bye, 13-inch MacBook Pro!
• See you soon, new iPhone SE and iPad!
• We’ll miss you, Apple discount “loophole” for teachers and students! (Post-show update: It’s back.)

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re not 100% on board for the rumored “hole + pill” screen cutouts that might replace the notch in iPhone 14. But we’re definitely intrigued by the concept of a folding iPhone.

Also on The CultCast:

• How powerful will Apple’s AR/VR headset be, and what will it do?
• That pricey Apple Polishing Cloth is available again.
• Cupertino loses yet another key member of its chipmaking team as competitors look to steal M1’s crown.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

WaterField Designs’ AirTag Leather Keychain looks a little like a squid’s head. The oval-ish leather keychain comes with a heavy-duty matte black key ring at one end. (Your keys would be the squid’s tentacles in this tortured simile.) And a metal grommet at the other end lets you attach an included steel carabiner or cable loop to expand your options.

The San Francisco company constructed this crucial AirTag accessory out of beefy full-grain leather and high-end components. It definitely looks and feels premium. And it seems built to last a lifetime.

The only real downside is size-related: This is one giant squid!

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Even more details surface about Apple’s hardware plans for 2022. If last year was “modest” (LOL), this year looks jam-packed with major updates. We’re talking redesigned AirPods Pro, a new Apple monitor, even-more-impressive MacBook Airs and … an iPhone? You gotta be kidding us.

Also on The CultCast:

• Apple hits $3 trillion market cap, albeit briefly.
• A giveaway that features a great-looking charger from Journey.
• The most interesting products out of this year’s big CES trade show in Las Vegas.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: New renders give us an even better vision of what Apple’s mixed-reality headset might look like. We’re still not convinced we’ll be wondering around with these things strapped to our heads — especially if they cost $3,000. However, we must admit that the concept art by Ian Zelbo does look pretty cool.

Also on The CultCast:

• Your Apple Wallet might get you on a plane next year.
• An AirTags Christmas miracle.
• An unfortunate darts disaster.
• More picks for Gear of the Year!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Our 2022 hopes are up, up and away on the latest rumors about what new features iPhone 14 Pro might bring. The camera sounds like it will once again deliver impressive gains, but it’s the potential for an iPhone 4-style makeover that’s really got us drooling.

Also on The CultCast:

• New Apple displays on the horizon?
• Dying AirPods … and amazing deals on replacements.
• Alex E. Heath’s goggle-eyed moment during his interview with The Matrix stars.
• More of our product picks in Gear of the Year.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It sounds like Apple has some really big plans for 2022. We’re psyched about some things, skeptical about others, but definitely shining up our Apple Cards.

Also on The CultCast:

• Snap Spectacles, as modeled by Alex E. Heath.
• Anxiously awaiting the end of the “notch.”
• AppleCare+ getting a fear-based boost?
• More of our Gear of the Year picks.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.